부산대학교 도서관

The modern phase of gas-fired vacuum furnace development began in 1986 under two programs sponsored by the Gas Research Institute . Since then, a tremendous amount of gas industry and private money and time have been spent on the development of this important technology. A key barrier has been the temperature capability of gas-fired designs. Recognizing this, Surface Combustion first began commercial development for low temperature applications and designs. This work resulted in several US patents and ultimately the VacuDraw vacuum tempering furnace. Other commercial configurations and larger sizes subsequently evolved from this successful effort. The most recent development in gas-fired vacuum furnace technology, and perhaps the most significant to date, is the installation and operation of the first multichamber, 1,065 C (1,950 F) system designed for tool steel heat treatment. This article provides an overview of this equipment and describes its key design and performance features.